Halo has been a staple for gamers worldwide for over 20 years. Chances are if own an Xbox, you have played Halo at some point. The simple whispering of Master Chief sends chills up most peoples' spine as they picture the green armor with that helmet and visor staring at a member of The Covenant from across a smokey battlefield.
Soon that image will be streaming on Paramount+ in the highly anticipated live-action series Halo. After years and numerous writers and producers jumping on and off the project, Master Chief is finally ready to show himself. Along with the man who plays him, Pablo Schreiber. Schreiber speaks to The Hollywood Reporter about his take on the iconic warrior and how it differs from the video game.
Schreiber has been attached to this project even through all turmoil it went through along the way. The actor spoke about how he is going to embody a character known to every gamer, yet one that nobody really knows. He says,
“There’s this expectation because a huge portion of the audience has played the game believing they are the Master Chief. And now here I am, attempting to play it.”
This role is very different from any Schreiber has played in the past. With shows like The Wire, American Gods and Orange Is the New Black, he was known for putting his own spin on those roles. So what makes this different?
“I was given a lot of leeway in those roles to push the boundaries because the characters are so big and broad. This is a 180-degree turn. It’s a very tight box, especially early in the series, trying to find the sweet spot of restraint and figure out this guy’s inner life.”
The journey of finding out who Master Chief really is as a person is spread throughout the nine episodes in the first season. This Master Chief bends the rules and disobeys orders to protect a young girl. One of the other challenges is the comparison to The Mandalorian.
“I was like, ‘OK, great, there’s a precedent and people are hungry for this genre and this material — because there is definitely overlap — and the success they had bodes well for us. Also, The Mandalorian is always helmeted and has to remain that way. In Halo, the Spartans take their helmet off a ton — it’s only Master Chief’s face you haven’t seen before.”
Playing Master Chief Comes With Its Physical Challenges
The physical challenge is also there for the 43-year-old actor as well. From the intense fighting action sequences and of course, the famous body armor that Master Chief is known for. Schreiber also hopes it will be worth it once fans see the final result, hoping that they will embrace it like they have the games.
“It’s 50 pounds of plastic and the suit is meant to make you superhuman — it enhances the Spartan’s capability for his performance tenfold. In reality, it’s the opposite. It’s a challenge to manipulate a cumbersome costume and find ways to shoot it so it looks like you’re super capable... There’s so much opportunity for transcending being a sci-fi show, a superhero show or a video game show and just be legitimately great television that happens to be exploring those genres.”
Halo has already been approved for a second season before the first episode has even aired. The series premieres on Paramount+ on March 24, 2022.